Possible web design trends for 2014

There are some fantastic design styles out there that are sure to trend during 2014, so we’ve decided to list a few of which we think are going to be the most popular and why – as well as fitting in the more unusual one just for fun.

Responsive

Firstly, let’s not forget responsive web design, which has been incredibly popular during 2013. We can see this extending into 2014 and beyond, as it is still relatively young and many who still don’t know what it is. If you need a website suitable for mobile devices as well as different browsers but you don’t fancy spending additional bucks on a completely separate site or you just don’t have the time, then Responsive Design is for you. To find out more about Responsive web design, read our post here.

Parallax Scrolling
This is one of the most unusual designs we’ve come across, as it is ‘animated’ and relies on the user scrolling downwards or sideways, which makes the website come to life. Although not great when it comes to standard usability, this method is a great way to tell as story making it perfect for advertising TV shows or movies. Originally used for computer games, parallax scrolling works with multiple layers with usually the background layer moving slower that the foreground creating a 2D illusion. Although not very practical for many business it’s still a fun and creative way of advertising and has much potential, so we may see some new method of using it appear it 2014.

Blocking
Blocking is already getting very popular and it’s easy to see why, as this style allows you to display a lot of information about your business in a stylish & engaging way. Instead of viewing unstimulating paragraphs of text, this design shows only ‘blocks’, which can be square or any other shape you can create and within these blocks you will see either a piece of information, a navigation element, an image or anything else you fancy putting in there. For example, one block could contain your logo, a second an image of your business premises, a third containing a short ‘about us’ paragraph, a fourth with a navigation element pointing to ‘shop online’ and so on. This allows you to squeeze all the information you want onto one page in a minimalist and attractive form without the user becoming overwhelmed. It can also stop the need for scrolling down, allowing the visitor to see everything on their screen at once.

Flat
This is another trend that we think we surely take off in 2014, as it strips away the need for shadows and textures on graphics that give a site a 3D look. Instead you will see plain colours & shapes with no transparency. It’s a fantastic design to use if you want a minimalist look that will keep attention on the product you’re selling or service that you’re offering and best of all, you can use whatever colour scheme you prefer. Prime colours, pastel colours and blacks, whites & greys all look great, as there is no shading or effect used which often lowers the quality of the colour. If you have an iPhone or iPad, that’s just undergone a software update, you will notice that each icon is now ‘flat’ giving it a much cleaner & sharper look. It’s simple & modern, making it ideal for trending in 2014 and we are sure you’ll love it.

Keep a look out for these excellent trends and why not try one out for yourself.